Thinking ability is an amazing gift and it allows us to accomplish wonderful things. The human mind is the greatest problem solver on the planet, and it is eager to provide you with the answer to any question, and the solution to any challenge.

The thinking side of life

As soon as you present your mind with a question it goes to work analyzing and calculating. It combs your mental file cabinets in search of relevant information. It quickly picks out similarities and patterns as it builds an almost instant resource of connected data. What a marvel the human mind is.

We can use this amazing ability for just about anything you can think of. Whenever we make plans for the day, the week, or the year, our mind goes into analytical mode. As we review past performance, it becomes an efficiency expert seeking ways to make improvements. Our mind is a tireless servant, chomping at the bit and ready to take on any and all challenges that we may give it.

The experiencing side of life

There is another wonderful ability we need to consider that also makes a giant contribution to an amazing life . It’s the ability to actually experience life through our five senses. Like the mind, our senses also gather information and feed it to our nervous system, but this happens on a completely different level then pure mental analysis. This is a different kind of intelligence altogether.

In fact, when our senses are fully engaged, thinking often comes to a screeching halt. This is what allows us to fully savor an experience in the moment. When you stop to smell that perfect rose, or you come out from a cold shadow into the warm embrace of the sunshine, what happens? Do you stop to analyze it, or do you just experience it?

When the mind and sensory organs fully merge

There are rare occasions when the full power of our analytical mind and our sensory experience come together in the moment. This usually happens in conjunction with a huge dose of adrenaline. Have you ever been in an emergency situation where everything turned into slow motion, and all of your senses were on hyper alert, while your mind was calculating every detail?

One such occasion that stands out for me happened in a cross country hang gliding race over a rugged range of mountains. I had to make an emergency landing in a completely unacceptable speck of clear ground deep in the forest. The whole event probably lasted about 30 seconds, but for me it seemed like I had all the time in the world. My heightened state of alertness turned those seconds into slow motion, and I was fully aware of every moment. Like I said, these occasions are rare and adrenaline usually plays a major role.

The analytical mind versus the physical senses

More often than not, our mind tends to pull us away from, or minimize sensory input. This is because our senses give us information in the moment while our mind likes to operate outside of the moment in some abstract time warp. We can get so busy problem solving that thinking takes over our awareness, and we lose our sense of the here and now. Sometimes this kind of concentration serves us, but sometimes it robs us of the experience of life.

The mind is a bully and it likes to be in charge. Making room in our life to enjoy the experience of living in the moment, means learning to control the runaway thought process and allowing sensory feedback to have shared custody of our life. We need to learn to stop and smell the roses whether our busy brain likes it or not.

Paths that lead to balance

There are two main approaches to subduing the mental monster and temporarily giving our consciousness over to our other senses. These two approaches are at the opposite ends of the spectrum. In between these two extremes, there exists a wide variety of useful activities that allow for an increased sense of balance.

As we look at the spectrum of possibilities, keep in mind that what we are looking for here is greater balance. We create this balance by allowing some time, on a regular basis, for the mind to take a back seat while we allow sensory input to help us feel more fully engaged in the moment. Let’s consider the two primary but opposite approaches.

1) Ramp up sensory stimulation

With this approach we engage in any activity that creates massive sensory stimuli. Doing so will literally force the analytical mind out of the picture by overriding it with stronger neurological signals. Some examples would include any form of physical activity or intense exercise that you cannot do on autopilot.

Some that come to mind are body surfing, weight lifting, circuit training, aerobics, getting a massage, and sex. These kinds of activities demand that we be “in the moment” and they are linked primarily to a state of physical readiness. They are defined by sensory involvement and as a result, we are literally forced to participate in real time.

2) Quiet the mind

This approach is the exact opposite of the last one. Instead of using sensory stimulation to beat back the brain bully, we coax it into a state of peaceful hibernation. Of course, this one requires that we learn to consciously gain control of the thinking process, and then purposely dial it way down. This can be more difficult then it sounds because the analytical mind will try to take advantage of the lack of sensory input to do what it loves to do – THINK!

People use a variety of techniques to accomplish the goal of a quiet mind. All of the popular forms of meditation and controlled breathing share this objective. Anything that can mesmerize us, such as soothing music or nature sounds, a campfire or fireplace, also helps to quiet the mind. Additionally, there are some specially designed skills like the Sedona Method or the Release Technique with mental quieting as their main objective.

We should also recognize that millions of people also use drugs and/or alcohol in an attempt to dial down the thinking process without any real effort on their part. There are also new technologies that do most of the work for you by using highly specialized rhythmic patterns to control brain wave frequency such as binaural beats.

Develop your five senses + 1

The middle ground between intense sensory stimulation and a quiet mind is where we spend the majority of our time. The area is filled with a wide array of practical steps that we can use on a daily basis to maintain our mental balance. A great place to start is by purposely exercising your five senses throughout the day. For example:

Taste. When you eat a meal or a treat, take smaller bites and fully experience the flavors. If you love chocolate, savor a small piece as it melts in your mouth instead of chomping it down in unhealthy amounts. Turn eating into an exercise of culinary pleasure by slowing down and experiencing it via your taste buds.

Smell. This is often a major contributor to the joy of food but it also stands alone as a sensory pleasure. As the saying goes, take time to smell the roses. Don’t just take a quick sniff, but drink down all of the incredible aromas that can add such a wonderful dimension to your life.

Touch. If you close your eyes and see with your hands and fingers, what will you discover? Probably that you have not been fully aware of this amazing gift. How wonderful the world of touch is. Much of our emotional balance is linked to the human touch. Next time you touch someone or something, let yourself feel the experience without thinking about it.

Sound. Many people like to close their eyes and really listen to beautiful music or the sound of waves crashing on the beach. If we really listen, sound has the ability to quiet our whole being. When appropriate, take the opportunity to surround yourself with calming sounds, and then let it engulf you and carry you far away from the analytical noise.

Sight. Our eyes are the most direct sensory path to our brains. Therefore, we should make it a point to fill them with beautiful sights whenever possible. Do you stop to experience a beautiful sunset in all it’s glory? Do you marvel at the splendor of the natural world? If you put before your eyes that which is visually soothing your mind will make the connection. As a result, your life will feel much more balanced and peaceful.

Laughter. This is a wonderful, happy, sensory experience that has scores of benefits. Laughter involves our whole being and it takes place in the moment. There is no reason to analyze this one (ha ha!), just do it as often as you can.

Balance is the goal

A life rich in experience and wisdom is one that has found a balance between thinking and experiencing. Both are valuable and both make a solid contribution to the quality and joy of living. In this age of information overload and mental bombardment, it’s important that we remember to take time to experience our own life first hand and in the moment.

How do you relax your mind?
Which of your five senses are you most aware of?
The lines are open.

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My book TRUE SELF is the fastest inexpensive way (coaching is the fastest) to make positive life changes very quickly. Do you want to discover your core passions, dismantle your hidden, limiting beliefs, and realize your most desired goals? TRUE SELF will guide you smoothly through the process.

How are you doing in the tug-of-war between working toward your long term goals and the temptation of instant gratification? It is amazing how so many areas of life are affected by the gravitational pull of these two forces.

Have you ever wondered why it is so difficult to stick to a long term success plan and so easy to be derailed by things that only provide momentary pleasure? Why is it so challenging to go to the gym and watch your diet, and so easy to eat junk food and skip the exercise routine. Why would any of us choose to spend hours on social media sites rather than do the work that pays the bills?

What’s the real draw of instant gratification?

I am sure you realize that the vast majority of advertising is designed to trigger impulse buying. But do you know what impulse buying and instant gratification have in common? They both appeal to our emotions in a way that overrides our logic. It shouldn’t come as a surprise then, that impulse buying is one of the most common sources of instant gratification.

In contrast, long term goals usually involve a logical decision followed by a commitment along with a certain amount of discipline. We may be emotionally attached to the intended outcome, but that’s not the same kind of emotional impulse that feeds an instant gratification craving.

What is the draw of long term satisfaction?

The kind of satisfaction that comes from pursuing our long term goals is one of substance. Anything that requires consistent effort over a long period of time is bound to leave us with a deeper sense of accomplishment. Unlike instant gratification, this is the category where we work to make our dreams become reality.

Reasonableness dictates that truly significant achievements require significant effort and time to be realized. There is usually nothing instantaneous about it. In fact, this approach is often referred to as deferred gratification. It involves greater gratification, but we have to be willing to wait for it.

Is there room for both?

That’s really what we want, isn’t it? We want to reach for our dreams and the things that bring long term satisfaction, while having our days accented with some instant gratification. So, the question is, can we have both or will one always pull against the other?

Of course we can have both, but some management is required so that we maintain a healthy state of balance and don’t end up abandoning our long term goals in favor of the quick fix. Here are a few pointers to make sure that doesn’t happen.

3 ways to balance instant gratification with long term satisfaction

1. Use the reward system. We all like to be rewarded for our efforts and we naturally work harder when there is a reward in the near future. An example of this approach might be when we are watching our diet and trying to get in shape. The longer we go without those forbidden foods, the stronger our cravings become.

The solution is to reward yourself with a treat meal after a week of effort. This approach allows you to satisfy your craving so you won’t feel deprived. And, you will give yourself something to look forward to during the week. It’s a win-win situation as long as you control the frequency of those instant gratification treat meals.

2. Punctuate long term goals with regular celebration points. Identify milestones along the path of your long term goals and use them as opportunities to celebrate what you’ve accomplished up to that point. If you are building a business, you could choose to celebrate every time your income goes up by $100 or $200 per month.

You get to decide what constitutes celebration. The important thing is that it gives you a sense of gratification for your hard work. That way you feel rewarded for sticking to the plan and you have some motivation to keep making progress. This same reward system would apply to growing your blog or website traffic. Every time your traffic or RSS subscriber count increases by a certain amount, celebrate.

3. Give yourself daily approval and acknowledgment. One of the greatest sources of gratification is approval and acknowledgment. You don’t need to look elsewhere for this kind of gratification. All you need to do is take the time to commend yourself for what you’ve accomplished. Withholding this kind of approval can cause you to seek it from outside sources like comfort foods or mindless time wasting activities.

I suggest you make time to do this at the end of every day. It’s not a big deal, but it does make a big difference in your level of gratification. Simply review your day and give yourself your personal thumbs up for a job well done.

Instant gratification and long term satisfaction

With a little planning you can have them both and maintain a healthy sense of balance. If some form of instant gratification is throwing your life out of balance, apply one of these three strategies to help restore your equilibrium.

How do you seek instant gratification?
Has it ever prevented you from reaching your long term goals?
The lines are open!

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Going somewhere tropical for a couple of weeks in the middle of winter is an excellent thing to do. It is so great to go to the beach and get some sun when it’s cold and wet back home. I love it.

What about when circumstances don’t allow for an actual vacation? Well, we like to plug in the DVD of our last Hawaiian getaway and take a virtual vacation. We can imagine ourselves on the beach with the sound of the waves and the contrast to our winter reality is quite therapeutic. Granted, not the same as a real vacation, but beneficial none the less.

Contrast can often provide welcome relief

The same principle can work for us when the summer heat is upon us. In the Pacific northwest, when it is really hot inland, it tends to be much cooler on the coast. So a trip to the beach can provide a cool and refreshing contrast at just the right time.

As we enter the hot time of year here in Oregon, I know that other places have been hot and dry for several months already. I was thinking that those of you who live in these parched places might enjoy a little cool contrast in your life right about now.  So, I wanted to share some pictures from a trip we took in May.

We drove from southern Oregon, across northern California, all the way across northern Nevada, to the Wasatch mountains of Utah. It was a spectacular trip and the snow covered peaks were amazing. I invite you to enjoy a few of the highlights and to think cool thoughts regardless of your current outdoor temperature.

Here we go!

This first picture is the view from our home in southern Oregon as it looked in May. The mountains in the background are actually right on the Oregon, California border.

This next shot was taken from the car as we made our way across the somewhat barren 400 miles of northern Nevada headed for Utah. We were surprised to see a number of impressive snow covered peaks similar to this one. You just never know!

Next up is Utah and I must say, they know mountains! This was my first trip to Utah and I could hardly believe the magnitude of these mountains. It was like I was looking at the Alps. Well, that’s how I imagined it anyway since I have never actually seen the alps. This particular peak is Mount Timpanogos, the most prominent peak dominating the mountains of the Wasatch Range which overlook Utah Valley.

We rented a great cabin in a steep (read, very steep) canyon a few miles from Robert Redford’s famous Sundance. This next shot is taken from the cabin looking at the south side of Mount Timpanogos. The small picture at the beginning of this article was directly across the street from our cabin and there was a rushing (and I do mean rushing) creek about 15 feet from our back door. This was truly an excellent place to stay!

About a mile up the canyon from our cabin was a trail head into some truly awesome country. This next shot of my wife and I was taken in a high mountain meadow that we came across after about 45 minutes of hiking. It was a warm day and, as you can see, the vista was remarkable.

On the back side of the Wasatch Range is an absolutely huge reservoir called Deer Creek Reservoir. On its own, this body of water was impressive, but the backdrop of snow covered peaks made it spectacular. I was constantly in awe of the natural beauty that surrounded us as we explored this area.

The weather was so nice on the last leg of our trip home that I couldn’t resist this shot from the south side of Mount Shasta in the northern most part of California. Only a few hours from home, this picturesque peak has always been a personal favorite.

Are you thinking cool thoughts?

I hope you found our little excursion through the snow covered peaks of four different states to be a refreshing one. We had an excellent time and saw some truly wonderful sights. It was a true adventure. Just going through the pictures and recounting the trip reminded me how much I love and appreciate the beauty of creation and the natural world. I hope it did the same for you!

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Because life is such a multifaceted experience, achieving balance can be an extremely difficult challenge. Let’s face it, there is a lot to do and only so much time and energy to go around.

I’ve often thought that it would be nice to have an extra day in the week. Not just a normal day, but one that wasn’t counted and didn’t show on the calendar. Imagine, a totally free day to use however you wanted. What would you do with your extra day? Here’s something else to think about…

Why does the “free day” concept sound so good?

Isn’t it because there never seems to be enough time for everything? And why is that? It’s because we let work expand to fill the time available. This is why we convince ourselves that more time would solve the apparent shortage and allow us to get everything done. But is that really what would happen?

I don’t think so!

You see, if we only had six days in a week, then we would say the same thing about the possibility of having seven. Oh, if I only had an extra day so I could get everything done. It wouldn’t matter if we had 8, 9, or even 10 days in the week, we would still let work expand to fill the time available. That’s because…

Productive people always have a backlog of things they want to get done. That’s a good thing, unless we try to squeeze them into our schedule too tightly. When we do that it changes the dynamic of everything. You can only pack so many “to do things ” into your day before something has to give.

Compression always creates a rise in pressure

Doing more, more, more is not the answer. In fact, neither is continually operating at maximum capacity. There’s a name for that approach. Maybe you’ve heard it, it’s called STRESSED OUT! And it is often followed by a close cousin named BURNED OUT.

Have you been down that road? If so, then you probably realize that stressed out is not a very productive state, and burned out is actually counterproductive. Oh, you can probably function under increasing stress for a while, but sooner or later it will bite you. What happens when you try to do 15 hours worth of work into an 8 hour work day? Unavoidably, the pressure (stress) goes up, it’s the law of compression. Adding an extra day won’t change things because…

It’s not about time, it’s about balance!

Balance means that we portion our time and energy in a way that benefits our whole life. We get out of balance when one aspect of our life is stealing time and energy from the others.

To be balanced, we need to give sufficient attention to all of life’s important areas, including our physical, emotional and spiritual well being. We need to be creative, as well as productive. We need to care about what is going on in the lives of those around us instead of just focusing on the task at hand. Balance means that work is just a part of the picture, not the whole panorama.

You need to make a choice

Let’s face it, you can do quantity or you can do quality. If you want to do both, then you need to hire some good people. Otherwise, it’s one or the other, that’s just the way it is. To raise the quality of your life in all of the important areas requires you to set certain limits.

If you have a family, a business, and a few other obligations, then you have more than enough to do. Not only do you need to balance your time and energy in those areas, but you also need to avoid adding to the mix. Life is about choices, and sometimes that means being able to say no.

A universal truth

Quality always takes longer, it can’t be rushed. To have a quality family life you have to be willing to invest your time and energy. The same applies to your business. Do you want to maintain optimal health? That takes time as well. Everything done well takes time and time is something you only have so much of. So here’s what I suggest…

Do less, but do it better

This is the only reasonable approach to a life that is both high quality and balanced. Limit the number of commitments, so you can feel good about being deeply involved in the areas of your life that really matter. You will experience fewer distractions and feel less hurried. This will automatically bring a greater sense of joy and meaning to everything you do.

Learning to filter out the activities that don’t really matter is a great way to create more time and energy for the things that are truly important.

Here are a few simple guidelines for incorporating balance into your life.

1) Set priorities. Make a list of everything that you do with your time and energy, and then figure out your top priorities. Be realistic as you assign a value to each activity. Ask yourself, “Does this really contribute to the quality of my life?” If there is any doubt, toss it out.

2) The highest priorities get the majority of your time. Don’t allow incidental activities to consume large amounts of time. If it is a low priority, that means it gets a very limited ration of time and energy. If you don’t put limits in place, you will waste valuable time on things that don‘t really matter.

3) Make a plan and stick to it. If you have scheduled family time, don’t let the predictable “something unexpected came up at work” change your plan. In your heart you already know how valuable your family is to you. Make sure that your life reflects those feelings!

4) Use your time efficiently. Always look for ways to accomplish more in less time and with less effort. Don’t think in terms of “hours of work.” Get away from the concept of making so much per hour. If your occupation allows for it, think in terms of making so much per project. Then look for ways to accomplish your projects in less time. If you do work by the hour, figure out how to make yourself significantly more valuable to your employer so he can justify paying you a much higher salary.

5) Take time to focus on others. This might sound strange, but spending some part of your day focused on other people will expose you to new, creative ways of thinking. Answers and solutions often appear when our attention is elsewhere. You can create opportunities for this to happen by purposely shifting your focus. Paying attention to others also builds the quality of your relationships on several levels. Remember, we’re all in it together.

6) Eat healthy foods and get regular exercise. Feeling good makes life better. Without your health, nothing else really matters. Don’t ride when you can walk. Choose nutritious food instead of fast food. Value your body and show your appreciation by treating it with respect. Not only will you feel better, but the quality of your whole life will improve.

7) Schedule some time to decompress. Don’t be a slave to productivity. A balanced life includes time to relax and enjoy a change of pace. When you take time out for yourself, you establish a more balanced perspective of everything else. Balance makes life seem easier and more rewarding, because that is exactly what it is.

What helps you stay balanced when things get crazy?
Have something you would like to add to the list?
The lines are open!

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Let’s have a little fun and put the stretch on our imaginations. Try to visualize a world without money or even the concept of money. Imagine if there were no more money, no word for it, and no physical or emotional reference to it. The whole idea of money simply doesn’t exist.

Why are we thinking like this? Because so many people spend the majority of their life in the pursuit of this bizarre, manmade invention. For the most part money is a necessary yet insidious detour away from everything that really matters.

Like a bottomless pothole on the road of life, there’s money smack dab in the middle of almost everything meaningful you want to do. You can’t ignore it and it’s almost impossible to get anything done without it, so you are forced to deal with it.

Money calls the shots

In the name of money and career we may invest years of our life on specialized education and training. Why? So we can spend another 30-40 years earning a living.  What’s at the end of the rainbow?  The hope of being able to retire with enough money to enjoy whatever time and health we have left.

It becomes especially challenging to maintain a balanced view of money when we are confronted by economic hardship. Lack of legal tender can threaten our sense of security and even corrupt our sense of self-worth. No inanimate object is more emotionally charged. That’s a tremendous amount of leverage for an artificial commodity, don’t you think?

Can we really imagine no more money?

It’s difficult to wrap our minds around the concept of no more money because it is outside the realm of our experience. How would society be structured if there were no such thing as money? What would we focus on and how would we make value comparisons?

We don’t really know because it’s never been tried on a large scale. One thing is for sure; most people’s lives would probably be a lot more realistic.  Maybe we should just abolish the stuff and start focusing on things of real value.

What’s your take on money?
Were you able to imagine no more money?
The lines are open!

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Do you feel guilty when you’re not doing something productive? In this age of time management we can easily adopt the idea that if we are not being productive then we are wasting time. So we try to get super organized in an effort to be more productive.

We could claim our attempts to cram as much as possible into each day is based on the fact that life is short and we want to accomplish all we can. I’m sorry, but that argument just doesn’t hold water. Why? For one thing, it’s our natural tendency to seek out ways to enjoy ourselves, not to push ourselves to the limit.

How do you define time?

How we view the whole concept of time has a powerful influence on our priorities. If we buy into the “Time is money” approach introduced by Benjamin Franklin, then productivity becomes our first priority.

We all recognize that Ben Franklin was a smart guy, but when he said time is money I don’t think he was suggesting that we build our lives around that concept. By the way, he also said that “Credit is money” and we can all see the result of building an economy around that precept.

Putting a price on time

When we accept the idea that time is money we are essentially assigning a monetary value to time. How does that affect our perspective of life? It causes us (and others) to base our worth on how productive we are and how much we earn. This is a devastating point of view for several reasons. Let’s consider a few:

Fallacy #1. If I earn $50 per hour and you earn $500, then I must be worth 90% less than you are. If I accept this premise, then I will probably develop some limiting beliefs about my worth as a person. If you agree with this value scale, then you will begin to think of yourself as superior. Both of these points of view are damaging.

Fallacy #2. A highly paid professional who earns a fortune pumping deadly toxins into the environment will be viewed as more valuable than a dedicated teacher who incites his students to reach for their dreams while maintaining personal integrity. This “time is money” perspective would also place the loving, nurturing mother who gave up her career to take care of her family, on the bottom of the value scale.

Fallacy #3. The working person willingly sacrifices family time for a chance to raise his income because, in doing so, he thinks he will increase his worth as a husband and father. When he comes home too late to see his children in the evening he will sincerely explain, “I’m doing it for you.”

If time is not money then what is it?

In a sense, Ben Franklin had it right when he associated time with currency; he just chose the wrong one. You see, the value of money is tiny compared to the value of time, even though making a living does require that we spend some of our valuable time in that pursuit.

When we spend our valuable time we should view it as something that far exceeds the worth of money. Yes, it takes a certain amount of money to care for our material needs and wants, but that is just one, small aspect of life. And this brings us to the real point of this article.

Time is the currency of life

Some will argue that time is a concept created by man and that it really doesn’t exist. All I can say to that is – what happens to your life when you run out of time? See my point? We only have so much of this valuable commodity and when it’s gone all the money in the world can’t buy you more.

Here’s where a proper view of productivity can help. If our level of productivity allows us to care for our material needs while only spending half as much time doing so, then from a practical standpoint, we have actually gained a lot of time for other pursuits. In fact, isn’t that what’s behind the intellectual draw toward increased productivity? In a nut shell, more money in less time means more time doing what we want.

Keep your balance and avoid the traps

The real challenge here is to use increased productivity in a balanced way so we reap the benefits and avoid the pitfalls. Creating greater earning potential so we can spend more time doing other things will likely require a period of focus and dedication. Once our efforts begin to pay off we need to avoid the following traps.

* Getting obsessed with earning more, more, and still more.
* Allowing super productivity to become an obsession.
* Forgetting why we chose this course to begin with.
* Slipping into the time is money mindset.
* Enslaving ourselves by continually increasing our spending.
* Thinking that more income changes our worth as a person.
* Endlessly trading the currency of life for mere money.

A synergistic approach

In life, there is either synergy, or there is conflict. The secret to avoiding conflict is to harmonize life’s many aspects so that they exist in a balanced and synergistic relationship with one another. What is required to maintain that sense harmonious balance?

We need to keep the big picture in view and not allow ourselves to become hypnotized by the seductive lure of money. Our precious time is the real commodity of life. Recognizing its immense value will help us to spend it wisely.

How do you see the issue of time and money?
If your productivity saves you time, how will you spend it?
The lines are open!

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Have you ever felt that you are so busy trying to keep up with your life that you just can’t get anything done?

Do you find yourself constantly putting things off because you just don’t have enough time to do it all?

Have you experienced the lack of progress that comes from never getting to the things that would make a real difference in your life?

Let the 80-20 rule work for you

There is a general principle that many business people are aware of called the Pareto Principle or 80-20 Rule. The premise is that you get 80% of your results from 20% of your efforts. This principle seems to apply to just about every area of life. 

In sales, it’s the top 20% of your customers that create 80% of your income. In relationships, it’s the first 20% of the time you spend with a person that reveals 80% of their personality.

In the case of personal development, you will get the biggest gains in the beginning – 80% of your results will come from the first 20% of your effort.

Put more focus where it will have the biggest impact

What is the real difference between those whose performance is average and those who excel? The ones who excel are those who focus more of their time and effort developing the abilities that have the greatest impact on their life.

That’s why we expect professionals to be more accomplished. And as it turns out, 80% of business is done by the best 20% in any given field.

The best 20% of all doctors will make 80% of all the money paid to doctors. The best 20% of all the books published account for 80% of all book sales. The most popular 20% of all musicians get 80% of the money spent on concert tickets and CD sales.

Make it work for you!

So here’s the application – If you want to get the best results from your efforts in life, you need to focus your time accordingly. Why not structure your life so you can take advantage of the 80-20 rule?

Why are some couples happier than others? Obviously, there are a variety of factors that come into play here, but the bottom line is this. The people involved in those relationships have put forth the effort to develop their communication skills and their efforts have paid off.

Those with the best relationship skills tend to have the best relationships. It is very likely that if you were to calculate the percentages, the 80-20 Rule would apply.

Develop the needed skills

For the most part, we all understand that the better we are at what we do, the greater the results we will get from our efforts. But, here’s another important point that people tend to overlook.  When you’re really good at what you do, you can do much less and still get the same results.

Now I need to ask, why would you want to spend 40 hours a week earning a living if you could generate the same income in just 5 hours? Why spend months trying to work through a relationship problem if you can develop the skills to do it in a day?

Multiply you results and get more free time

Would you rather spend your life struggling for every inch of progress or put your time and energy where it can do the most good? We all have “other things” we would like to do if we just had the time and money.

Why not take the time to figure out which areas of your life really matter and which ones are just consuming your valuable time. Once you clearly understand the difference, learn the life skills that will allow you to leverage the 80-20 rule.

Life is full of unnecessary busy work and distractions. How much better would your life be if you could spend most of your time and energy doing the things that really matter to you?

What kind of busy work is consuming your time?
What skills would enable you to better leverage your efforts?
The lines are open!

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